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Tuesday, 9th February 2010

Sir Peter Viggers to auction his duck house for charity

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Published Date:
09 June 2009
The famous duck house that has come to symbolise the MPs' expenses scandal is set to go under the hammer for charity.
Gosport MP Sir Peter Viggers broke his silence on the affair to tell The News he wants to auction off his notorious ornamental duck house for a good cause.

While the Stockholm duck house, which is almost 5ft high, would normally fetch only a couple of hundred pounds if sold second-hand, it is thought collectors may be willing to shell out thousands to snap up the piece of history.

Sir Peter is set to auction it after getting a dozen requests to donate the house, which he admitted the ducks didn't even like, to charity.

He said: 'I've replied to the dozen or so people that have enquired that my wife and I are minded, in due course, to sell the thing for charity.

'But in the present atmosphere we are letting the dust settle. We've had a lot of approaches and we aren't committing to this yet.'

The duck house cost £1,645, which Sir Peter tried to claim on expenses, but Adam Partridge, auctioneer from Flog It, Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic, thinks it could go for a far higher price.

The floating duck island
The floating duck island


'A second-hand duck house like that would normally go for about £300 to £500, but this one is a bit different,' he said.

'This is the notorious duck house and could get thousands and thousands. I've not auctioned off anything like this before; it's really tricky to say how much it could go for, but it may be a lot.

'Someone may want it so in years to come they can say "this is the famous duck house from the 2009 scandal".

'You just can't tell how high it might go if you get two people bidding who really want it.'

Sir Peter turns the soil at the farm when a new garden was build in July 2005
Sir Peter turns the soil at the farm when a new garden was build in July 2005


One of the dozen requests that Sir Peter had to donate the duck house came from Felicia Park Urban Community Farm in Gosport.

The farm in Sealark Road, Hardway, has a close relationship with Sir Peter, who opened its garden four years ago and who has been a regular visitor.

It asked for the donation after 10 eggs hatched at the end of last month leaving farm staff with a flock of little ducklings.

Sue Hitchman, founder of the farm, said: 'I didn't think we had much chance, I just wrote because there was the connection between him and the farm.

'If he was going to donate it I thought we'd be the most likely in Gosport, but I'm not too disappointed.'


DUCKING THE QUESTIONS

Sir Peter Viggers has dodged questions since his controversial expenses claims were revealed.

When the scandal broke he was away in America, after which he fled to his chateau in France. The News managed to track down Sir Peter twice last week: once at Westminster and once on his first return to his constituency office in Gosport.

On both occasions he refused to answer questions about his £30,000 gardening expenses and rejected claim for the duck island at his former Titchfield mansion.

Some of the ducklings at Felicia Park Urban Community Farm
Some of the ducklings at Felicia Park Urban Community Farm


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  • Last Updated: 09 June 2009 11:01 AM
  • Source: The News
  • Location: Portsmouth
 
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Peter Walsh,

Leigh Park 09/06/2009 10:07:51
Why doesn't he simply pay back the money...

This man has no scruples - and attempting to appease taxpayers, by auctioning the said item with the proceeds going to charity, will not earn this discredited individual any friends.

GO NOW Mr Viggers! Oh, no, he's waiting for the final tranche of taxpayers money - his golden farewell. What a joke - small wonder this country is electing members of the British Nazi Party. He should be utterly ashamed of his actions!
2

Gazza t,

Portsmouth 09/06/2009 10:35:46
The biggest publicity stunt ive ever seen.
3

SourSprout,

Portsmouth 09/06/2009 10:45:21
How easily is a guilty conscience salved.
4

max0603,

Gosport 09/06/2009 11:10:08
Good luck on the auction, at least charity will benefit from this fiasco. Viggers expenses were nothing compared to a lot of other MP's, who still await a 'punishment' from this pathetic prime minister and his thieving party.
5

davetrousers,

09/06/2009 11:29:51
"prime minister and his thieving party"

Peter Viggers is a Tory not Labour!
6

Cherquey,

Lee 09/06/2009 11:40:28
Can I point out that Viggers never actually got any of our money for the duck island. The claim was refused! He did get 20 tons of manure though!
7

Captain Kirk,

in orbit 09/06/2009 16:41:12
Read the headline

Sir Peter Viggers to auction his duck house for charity

and then what he actually said

He said: 'I've replied to the dozen or so people that have enquired that my wife and I are minded, in due course, to sell the thing for charity. 'But in the present atmosphere we are letting the dust settle. We've had a lot of approaches and we aren't committing to this yet.'

Note the words 'are minded'; 'due course'; 'we aren't committing to this yet'.
Totally different to the headline.
8

,

09/06/2009 17:45:05
Comment Reported Unsuitable By User
9

Alverstoke man,

Alverstoke 09/06/2009 20:03:52
If Viggers thinks a charity auction will make up for his disgraceful conduct then he is even more "quackers" than I thought!
10

Local Local Man,

Gosport 10/06/2009 01:00:23
Desperado said "millions of welfare dependant people in this country are defrauding the Inland Revenue & benefits system? Self employed doing cash in hand jobs? Housing and job seekers allowance when working? They are the real thieves and need to be bought to justice."

I agree, the big difference here is that when they are brought to justice they generally get prosecuted and made to pay for their crimes, Sir Peter may have to pay some of the money back, but he will not be prosecuted and he will get another years salary and a huge £32,000 pay off.
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